Cutaneous radiation syndrome : review of assessment and management

Abstract EN

The cutaneous radiation syndrome (CRS) refers to a number of pathologies that may become a manifest after exposure of the skin to ionizing radiation.

Signs and symptoms of the CRS appear within hours of exposure; however, the development of lesions can take days to years.

The latent period for the manifestation of a specific pathology depends on the characteristics of the target cells responsible for the development of that lesion and the dose of radiation delivered to those target cells.

The intensity and duration of the lesions are also dose dependent.

Since the depth dose distribution of a radiation source depends on the radiation quality, the development of a specific lesion, its intensity and its duration is also expected to vary with radiation quality.

The CRS may appear as an isolated lesion or as a number of lesions occurring simultaneously or over different time scales.

In dealing with the cutaneous tissues, the concept of dose is meaningless unless it is associated with a reference depth dose distribution to indicate the level of injury to specific target cells.

Large radiation doses to the skin can cause permanent hair loss, damaged sebaceous and sweat glands, atrophy, fibrosis decreased or increased skin pigmentation, and ulceration or necrosis of the exposed tissue.

However, similar lesions may develop later after much lower doses.

Death from the cutaneous syndrome could result in days or longer, depending on other conditions, such as dose rate, medical care and size of injury.